Tryst Six Venom by Penelope Douglas

nineteen, I could definitely pick out my own clothes. Not that he would be
here to see it anyway, and if he was, he wouldn’t look at me.
No. I should be grateful. Mrs. Crist thought of me, and it was nice of her
to make sure I’d have a dress to wear.
A light spatter of sand covered my legs and feet, and I reached down to
grip the ends of my loose jean shorts, inventorying exactly how wet I’d
gotten down at the beach. Would I need a shower?
No, I was already late. Screw it.
Diving into my room—the one the Crists’ let me have for when I stayed
the night—I spotted a sexy, white cocktail dress lying on the bed, and I
immediately began stripping.
The thin spaghetti straps did almost nothing to hold up my breasts, but it
fit perfectly, molding to my body, and it made my skin look darker than it
was. Mrs. Crist had awesome taste, and it was probably a good thing that
she’d gotten me the dress, after all. I’d been too busy preparing to leave for
school tomorrow to bother with what to wear tonight.
Dashing into the bathroom, I rinsed my calves and feet of the sand I’d
picked up on my walk, and I quickly brushed out my long, blonde hair and
applied a little lip gloss. I scurried back into the bedroom, grabbed the tan
strappy heels she’d left by the dress, and ran back into the hallway and down
the stairs.
Twelve hours to go.
My heart pumped harder and harder as I jogged through the foyer and
toward the back of the house. This time tomorrow I’d be completely on my
own—no mother, no Crists, no memories...
And most of all, I wouldn’t have to wonder, hope, or dread that I’d see
him. Or teeter on the edges of elation and agony when I did. Nope. I’d be able
to hold out my arms and spin in a circle and not touch a single person I knew.
Heat flowed through my chest, and I didn’t know if it was fear or excitement,
but I was ready.
Ready to leave it all behind. At least for a little while.
Veering to the right, I bypassed the kitchens—one for everyday use and
another adjacent to it for caterers—as I headed for the solarium at the side of
the large house. Opening the double doors, I stepped into the massive,
ceramic-tiled garden room, the walls and ceiling made entirely of glass, and
instantly felt the rise in temperature. The thick, wet heat soaked through the
fabric of my dress, making it melt to my body.